Guide to Holiday Events in Bucks, Montgomery County

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with holiday events upcoming in Bucks County and Montgomery County. Here's a look at some of the many upcoming holiday parades, tree lightings, and more festive celebrations taking place over the next few weeks.

The Bristol Township Holiday Parade will kick off the holiday season on Saturday, Nov. 22, at noon. The parade will feature the Truman High School marching band and cheerleaders, Eagles Pep Band, Mummers All Stars, Bristol Township Baton Twirlers, Bristol Township Council, local sports organizations and businesses, church organizations, nonprofits, dance studios, car clubs, police and fire, Santa Claus, and more.

Hatboro's holiday parade is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 23, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. along York Road. The event will begin at Summit Avenue with the parade marching south to Newington Drive. A tree lighting is set for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, at the Union Library of Hatboro, 243 S. York Road. 

Doylestown Winterfest will launch with the 111th tree lighting at State and Main streets in the borough on Friday, Nov. 28, at 5 p.m. Musical performances will start at 5 p.m., with Santa arriving by firetruck at 6:40 p.m. Additional activities include Doylestown House Tours (Dec. 5-6). 

Fonthill Castle in Doylestown will also host daily one-hour guided tours throughout the holiday season, now through Dec. 31. For more information, visit mercermuseum.org.

Take your seat on Santa's North Pole Express Train, a unique experience drawn by vintage diesel locomotives running from Friday, Nov. 28, through December. Passengers will depart from New Hope Station with Santa and Mrs. Claus on a journey through the historical landscapes of Bucks County, bound for the North Pole. Reservations can be made through the website newhoperailroad.com.

Visit historic Pennsbury Manor lit by candlelight during the "Holly Nights" celebration on Thursday, Dec. 4, and Friday, Dec. 5. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $6 for children ages 4 and older.

The Dublin Town Center will present Santa, Frosty, and Mrs. Claus at 123 N. Main St. on Friday, Dec. 5. Guests can enjoy horse-and-carriage rides and a gingerbread house competition. The tree-lighting ceremony will take place at approximately 5:45 p.m. after Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m. Members of the Living Hope Community Church will present a live nativity scene.

Enjoy a festive street party and watch Santa light the borough's Christmas tree at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5. 

Shop the Kringle Christmas shop sponsored by members of the Haycock Historical Society at the Haycock Township community center in Quakertown from Friday, Dec. 5, to Sunday, Dec. 7. Browse creations made by local artists, craftspeople, and artisans while enjoying musical holiday performances and a quick lunch. Visit the kringlechristmasshoppe.org for more details.

The annual Santa parades will take place at one of Bucks County's premier shopping districts on Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1:30 p.m. each day. At 4:30 p.m. each night, you'll witness more than a million Christmas lights illuminating the village. Parking is free. Visitors are asked not to park on streets in the surrounding neighborhoods.

The parade route on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. travels on South Main Street and West Afton Avenue, starting at the American Legion and ending at Buttonwood Park. At the end of the parade, Santa will light the tree and have a meet-and-greet for the kids.

Perkasie's 117th annual Christmas tree lighting will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Perkasie Town Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive at 7 p.m. on a Perkasie Electric Truck to light the Christmas tree with a child. Food and holiday music are also part of the festivities. For more details, visit perkasieborough.org.

Hosted each year by members of the Newtown Business Association, the parade will promptly kick off at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, from South State Street at the Stocking Works. It continues north to Washington Avenue and makes a left turn, turning right onto Sycamore Street and ending at the corner of Sycamore Street and Durham Road. The free event will take place rain or shine.

Shop the third annual Yule Fest on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event, held at Energy Ripple in Bristol, features food, fun, and unique last-minute shopping opportunities, along with Krampus and other Christmas characters. 

Members of the Temple Judea Reform Synagogue of Doylestown will hold a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, Dec. 21, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Borough of Doylestown.

"Central Bucks families are invited to kick off the season of Hanukkah early at our Community Hanukkah Celebration on Sunday, Dec. 21," they state on their website. "This fun and interactive event is free and open to all."